ALEXANDER VON BCTJMBCXLDT. 13<>
CHAPTER IX.
ALTERNATE RESIDENCE I3ST BEKLIN AND PABIS—DIPLOMATIC EMBASSY
----DEATH OF WILLIAM "VON HUMBOLDT----LITEKAKY ACTIVITT----
HUMBOLDT'S BELATIQN TO KING- FBEDERIC WILLIAM IV.----DIS-
TINCTIONS—BETROSFEGT.
AFTER Humboldt's return to Berlin on the 28th of
December, 1829, he commenced the great literary
labours on the stupendous material which was to he
prepared for publication by himself and fellow-travel-
lers, as the result of their voyage. Although Hum-
boldt had fixed his residence in Berlin, the publication,
of his work on Asia soon necessitated a longer stay in
Pails; for in that city lived friends and scholars, whose
personal assistance was required for his great literary
purposes. So he spent his time alternately ixi Paris
and in Berlin, In 1830, the peace of Europe was
terribly shaken by the French revolution. The people
demanded new arrangements; the sense for political
life was aroused; the Polish nation demanded their
freedom; and Germany in general, but Prussia in
particular, was in a critical state.
Alexander von Humboldt had never interested
himsolf in the details of politics; but he who enjoyed
the personal affection and complete confidence of the
king,—who, in the sphere of sciences, belonged to two
nations—for the French ranked his works among the
highest of their national literature, and claimed him
for the honour of their country; and Germany, to
which ho belonged by birth, did the same—he seemed